We’ve reached a standoff in the NBA.
The NBA trade deadline is only a few weeks away, and some of the biggest franchises in all of basketball are at a standstill.
Why?
Because one of the best players of all time might be on the market, and they don’t want to shoot their shot before he becomes fully available.
The Ringer’s Zach Lowe on the NBA’s Amazon Prime broadcast about the unorthodox situation, as while teams want to improve in hopes of vying for a title, making a trade too early could take you out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo Sweepstakes extravaganza.
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“The Hawks, the Warriors, the Lakers, the Heat, maybe the Knicks,” said Lowe on the teams that are positioning themselves for a chance at the multi-time MVP. “Do [they] need to keep all of [their] stuff and wait for Giannis to maybe become available?”
Although there has been smoke that the Greek superstar wants out of the team this season and to compete as soon as possible for a championship, there’s a strong possibility the Milwaukee Bucks hold onto Antetokounmpo and try to compete this season before deciding what to do once it ends.
There’s been speculation that the Bucks want to prove to Antetokounmpo that they can and will do anything they can to help him contend for another title. So, instead of moving him at the deadline, the Bucks might be one of the more aggressive teams, giving up any draft capital they have remaining to make a trade for a player who can star alongside Antetokounmpo.
That realistic possibility puts teams like the Lakers, Knicks, and Warriors in an awkward position. All three teams have stars in their prime or nearing retirement that can’t punt a season in hopes of landing Antetokounmpo in the summer. But if they trade their assets now for a marginal upgrade, if the Bucks change their mind, or the Greek superstar finally demands a trade, they could be left with an empty wallet when the most significant piece goes on the market.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET
Newsweek